JP2020034767A - Sample holding device and microscope device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a sample holding device and a microscope device capable of automatically and stably positioning a sample, reducing interference between an objective lens and a sample fixing part for achieving observation of a sample in a wide range even when an objective lens with short WD is used.SOLUTION: A sample device comprises: a sample holding part 10 comprising a main body part 11, a mount part 13, an opening 12, long side support parts 14, 15, and a short side support part 16; a drive part for moving the sample holding part 10; a sample fixing part 20 comprising, a long side pressing part 22 for pressing opposite sides of the long sides of the sample supported by the long side support parts 14, 15, a short side pressing part 23 for pressing opposite sids of the short sids of the sample supported by the short side support part 16, and a fixing part main body 21 for holding the long side pressing part 22 and the short side pressing part 23; and a sample fixing part pressing member for moving horizontally, the sample fixing part 20. When the sample holding part is moved to the observation position of the sample, the long side pressing part 22 is moved to an end side of the sample after positioning of the sample.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a sample holding device for holding a slide glass sample and a microscope device.

  2. Description of the Related Art A Whole Slide Imaging system has been used in which a whole or a part of a slide glass sample is scanned and captured as a digital image into a computer. In a hall slide imaging system, a stored digital image is magnified and observed on a monitor, so that a high-precision image is required.

  The slide glass sample is placed on the receiving table at the insertion / removal position, and the slide glass sample is positioned by the receiving surface positioning unit of the receiving table. An acquisition device has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 6069109

  In the Hall slide imaging system, in order to acquire a high-precision image, it is generally necessary to increase the numerical aperture (Numerical Aperture, NA) of the objective lens, and the working distance (Working Distance, WD) is shortened. . On the other hand, the slide glass sample is fixed by a sample fixing portion arranged closer to the objective lens than the slide glass sample, but when the WD is short, the sample fixing portion (Kremmel) is fixed to the slide glass sample as in Patent Document 1. When placed near the center of the slide glass, the objective lens and the sample fixing portion may interfere with each other, and the observation range of the slide glass sample may be greatly limited.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and performs automatic and stable positioning of a sample, and reduces interference between the objective lens and the sample fixing unit even when an objective lens with a short WD is used. It is an object of the present invention to provide a specimen holding device and a microscope device which enable observation of a specimen over a wide range.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, a sample holding device according to the present invention includes a mounting portion on which a rectangular sample is mounted, and an opening for irradiating the sample with illumination light. , A long side supporting portion supporting one long side of the sample, a short side supporting portion supporting one short side of the sample, a sample holding portion, and a mounting position and an observation position of the sample. A drive unit that moves the sample holding unit between, and a long-side pressing unit that is arranged to face the long-side support unit and presses the opposite side of the long side of the sample supported by the long-side support unit, The short-side pressing portion is disposed to face the short-side supporting portion and presses the opposite side of the short side of the sample supported by the short-side supporting portion, and holds the long-side pressing portion and the short-side pressing portion. And a fixing unit main body, which is held by the sample holding unit, and horizontally on the sample holding unit. A movable sample fixing unit, and moving the long side pressing unit and the short side pressing unit away from the sample mounting surface when the sample holding unit is moved to the sample mounting position by the driving unit. A sample fixing unit pressing member that moves the sample fixing unit in the horizontal direction for the purpose, and when the sample holding unit is moved to the observation position of the sample by the driving unit, the long side pressing unit is After positioning the sample by pressing the opposite side of the long side supported by the long side support portion, the sample is moved to the end side of the sample.

  Further, in the sample holding device according to the present invention, in the above invention, the long side pressing portion and the short side pressing portion have a tapered surface in which a mounting surface side is notched at a tip end in contact with the sample.

  Further, in the sample holding device according to the present invention, in the above invention, the long side support portion includes a first long side support portion and a second long side support portion.

  The microscope device of the present invention uses the above-described sample holding device.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the sample holding apparatus and the microscope apparatus of this invention, while being able to position a sample automatically and stably, even when using an objective lens with a short WD, a wide range of the sample can be observed.

FIG. 1 is a top view of the sample holding device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view of a sample holding unit used in the sample holding device of FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line YY of FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the movement of the sample fixing unit in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the movement of the sample fixing unit in FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the movement of the sample fixing unit in FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the movement of the sample fixing unit in FIGS. 8 and 2. FIG. 9 is an enlarged top view of the specimen holding unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the movement of the sample fixing unit in FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the movement of the sample fixing unit in FIG.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as “embodiments”) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited by the embodiment. In the description of the drawings, the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a top view of the sample holding device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. A sample holding device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a sample holding unit 10 that holds a sample 1 (see FIG. 6 and the like) such as a slide glass, and a sample fixing unit that fixes the sample 1 to the sample holding unit 10. 20, a sample fixing unit pressing member 40 for moving the sample fixing unit 20 in the horizontal direction, and an X drive motor 50 and a Y drive motor 60 for moving the sample holding unit 10.

  The sample holding unit 10 has two regions A and B where the sample 1 is arranged. FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view of the sample holding unit 10 (region A) used in the sample holding device of FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line YY of FIG. The sample holding unit 10 includes a main body 11, an opening 12 for irradiating the sample 1 with illumination light, a mounting surface 13 provided around the opening 12, and on which the rectangular sample 1 is mounted. A first long side support portion 14 and a second long side support portion 15 that support one long side of the sample 1, and a short side support portion 16 that supports one short side of the sample 1.

  The sample holding device 100 has an X guide 51 and a Y guide 61. The sample holding unit 10 is slidably mounted on an X guide 51, and the X guide 51 is slidably mounted on a Y guide 61. The X guide 51 and the Y guide 61 are configured by a cross roller guide or the like. The sample holding unit 10 drives the X drive motor 50, moves on the X guide 51 by a ball screw (not shown) connected to the X drive motor 50, drives the Y drive motor 60, and It is moved on the Y guide 61 by a ball screw 62 connected to the driving motor 60.

  The sample fixing section 20 is disposed to face the first long side support section 14 and the second long side support section 15, and is supported by the first long side support section 14 and the second long side support section 15. A long-side pressing portion 22 that presses the opposite side of the long side of the sample 1 and a short-side pressing portion that is disposed to face the short-side supporting portion 16 and presses the opposite side of the short side of the sample 1 supported by the short-side supporting portion 16. It has a portion 23 and an L-shaped fixing portion main body 21 that holds the long side pressing portion 22 and the short side pressing portion 23. The sample fixing section 20 is fastened to a not-shown fixing section guide fastened to the main body section 11, and is held by the sample holding section 10 so as to be movable in the horizontal direction.

  A compression spring 32 is disposed directly below the fixed body 21. The fixing portion main body 21 is fixed to a compression spring fixing block (not shown) with bolts 36. The compression spring 32 is fixed to the main body 11 of the sample holding unit 10 and presses the fixing unit main body 21 fixed to the compression spring fixing block in a direction indicated by an arrow A in FIG. By the urging force of the compression spring 32, the sample fixing unit 20 can move on the sample holding unit 10 in the horizontal direction.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a long-side ball spline 24 is disposed directly below the fixing portion main body 21, and a long-side pressing portion 22 is attached to a ball spline shaft 26 of the long-side ball spline 24. A long side ball spline spring 25 is disposed between the long side pressing portion 22 and the ball spline shaft 26. The long side ball spline spring 25 presses the long side pressing portion 22 in the direction B (Y direction) in FIG. The side surface of the distal end portion of the long side pressing portion 22 that comes into contact with the sample 1 is a tapered surface 22a in which the mounting surface side (the main body portion 11 side) is cut out. 1 can be prevented from rising. The long side pressing portion 22 presses the sample 1 against the first long side support portion 14 and the second long side support portion 15 by the urging force of the compression spring 32 and the long side ball spline spring 25, and the sample 1 Can be accurately positioned in the Y direction.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a short-side ball spline 27 is disposed directly below the fixing portion main body 21, and a short-side pressing portion 23 is attached to a ball spline shaft 29 of the short-side ball spline 27. A short side ball spline spring 28 is arranged between the short side pressing portion 23 and the ball spline shaft 29. The short side ball spline spring 28 presses the short side pressing portion 23 in the direction C (X direction) in FIG. The side surface of the tip of the short-side pressing portion 23 that comes into contact with the sample 1 is a tapered surface 23a in which the mounting surface side (the body portion 11 side) is cut away. The sample is brought into contact with the sample 1 by the tapered surface 23a. 1 can be prevented from rising. The short side pressing portion 23 presses the sample 1 against the short side supporting portion 16 by the urging force of the compression spring 32 and the short side ball spline spring 28, and can position the sample 1 accurately in the X direction.

  Next, the positioning operation after the sample 1 is mounted on the mounting surface 13 will be described. FIG. 5 to FIG. 8 are views for explaining the movement when positioning the sample fixing part 20 of FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a top view when the sample holding unit 10 is moved to the mounting position of the sample 1. When the sample holding unit 10 is moved to the mounting position of the sample 1, the sample fixing unit pressing member 40 presses the sample fixing unit 20 at the P position of the bearing 31 and the sample fixing unit 20. 5 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow D in FIG. The sample fixing portion pressing member 40 presses the sample fixing portion 20 to move the long side pressing portion 22 and the short side pressing portion 23 away from the mounting surface 13 of the sample 1 to a position where they do not interfere when the sample 1 is mounted. Note that the bearing 31 is fixed to the fixing portion main body 21 of the sample fixing portion 20 by the bearing mounting portion 30.

  FIG. 6 is a top view when the sample 1 is mounted on the mounting surface 13 of the sample holding unit 10. In the state of FIG. 6, the sample 1 is not positioned, and the first long side support portion 14, the second long side support portion 15, the short side support portion 16, the long side pressing portion 22, the short side pressing portion 23 It is mounted at an arbitrary position on the mounting surface 13 surrounded by.

  FIGS. 7 and 8 are top views of the sample holding unit 10 during the movement to the observation position and after the movement is completed. When the movement (Y direction) of the sample holding unit 10 from the sample mounting position to the observation position is started, the pressing of the sample fixing unit 20 by the sample fixing unit pressing member 40 at the P position is released as shown in FIG. Then, the sample fixing portion pressing member 40 is in a state of pressing the sample fixing portion 20 with only the bearing 31. The specimen fixing unit 20 moves from the state shown in FIG. 6 in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. Due to the movement of the sample fixing part 20 in the direction A, the tip of the long side pressing part 22 comes into contact with the sample 1 at the position Q1 and the first long side supporting part 14 and the second long side supporting part 15 Pressing 1 causes positioning in the Y direction.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8, when the pressing by the sample fixing portion pressing member 40 is completely released, the sample fixing portion 20 is moved from the state of FIG. 7 in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. Go further. With the further movement of the sample fixing unit 20 in the direction A, the tip of the long side pressing unit 22 moves away from the position Q1 in FIG. 7 to the position Q2 in FIG. 8, that is, the center side of the sample 1, that is, the sample mounting area 1a. Move to the end side for the purpose. Further, with the further movement of the sample fixing unit 20 in the direction A, the tip of the short side pressing unit 23 contacts the short side of the sample 1 and presses the sample 1 against the short side support unit 16, and moves in the X direction. Positioning is performed.

  In the first embodiment of the present invention, when positioning the sample 1 in the Y direction, the long side pressing portion 22 moves the first long side supporting portion 14 and the second long side supporting portion 14 at the Q1 position close to the center of the long side of the sample 1. The sample 1 is pressed against the first long-side support portion 14 and the second long-side support portion 15 stably even when the mounting position of the sample 1 varies. Position in the Y direction. Also, after positioning in the Y direction at the Q1 position near the center of the long side of the sample 1, the long side pressing portion 22 moves to the end for the purpose of moving away from the sample mounting area 1a, so that the object having a small WD is used. Even when observing a sample using a lens, it is possible to avoid interference between the objective lens and the long side pressing portion 22.

  In the first embodiment, the long side support portion is configured by the first long side support portion 14 and the second long side support portion 15, but may be one long side support portion.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 9 is an enlarged top view of the sample holding unit 10A according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and is a top view of the sample holding unit 10A when the sample 1 is placed. In the second embodiment, a rotary long-side pressing portion 33 is used instead of the long-side pressing portion 22.

  The long side pressing portion 33 is attached to the fixed portion main body 21 by a rotating shaft 34. A torsion coil spring (not shown) is arranged around the axis of the rotating shaft 34, and the torsion coil spring rotates and presses the long side pressing portion 33 in a direction shown by E in FIG. In addition, a stopper pin 35 is provided near a base end of the long side pressing portion 33 that is supported by the rotation shaft 34, and the rotation of the long side pressing portion 33 is regulated by the stopper pin 35. The side surface of the distal end portion of the long side pressing portion 33 that comes into contact with the sample 1 is a tapered surface in which the mounting surface side (the main body portion 11 side) is cut out. Prevent lifting.

  10 and 11 are top views of the sample holding unit 10A during the movement to the observation position and after the movement is completed. When the movement (Y direction) of the sample holding unit 10A from the sample mounting position to the observation position is started, as shown in FIG. 10, the pressing of the sample fixing unit 20A by the sample fixing unit pressing member 40 is released at the P position. Then, the sample fixing portion pressing member 40 is in a state of pressing the sample fixing portion 20A with only the bearing 31. The specimen fixing unit 20A moves from the state of FIG. 9 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 10A, that is, in the diagonally lower left direction. Due to the movement of the sample fixing portion 20A in the direction A, the tip of the long side pressing portion 33 contacts the sample 1 at the position Q3, and the sample is placed on the first long side support portion 14 and the second long side support portion 15. Pressing 1 causes positioning in the Y direction.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 11, when the pressing by the sample fixing portion pressing member 40 is completely released, the sample fixing portion 20A moves from the state of FIG. 10 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. Go further. With the further movement of the sample fixing portion 20A in the direction A, the tip of the long side pressing portion 33 moves away from the position Q3 in FIG. 10 to the position Q4 in FIG. 11, that is, the center side of the sample 1, that is, the sample mounting area 1a. Move to the end side for the purpose. Further, by further moving the sample fixing portion 20A in the A direction, the tip of the short side pressing portion 23 contacts the short side of the sample 1 and presses the sample 1 against the short side supporting portion 16 to move the sample 1 in the X direction. Positioning is performed.

  In the second embodiment of the present invention, similarly to the first embodiment, when positioning the sample 1 in the Y direction, the long side pressing portion 33 moves the first side at the Q3 position close to the center of the long side of the sample 1. Since the sample 1 is pressed against the long side support 14 and the second long side support 15, even if the mounting position of the sample 1 varies, the first long side support 14 and the second long side support are stable. The sample 1 can be applied to the portion 15 for positioning in the Y direction. After positioning in the Y direction at the position Q3 near the center of the long side of the sample 1, the long side pressing portion 33 moves toward the end so as to move away from the sample mounting area 1a. Even when the sample is used to observe the sample, interference between the objective lens and the long side pressing portion 33 can be avoided.

  A sample holding device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a microscope that includes a storage unit that stores a sample such as a slide glass, a sample transport unit that transports a sample, a stage, and a sample imaging unit, and particularly a hole slide imaging system. It can be suitably used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 sample 10 sample holding part 11 main body part 12 opening part 13 mounting surface 14 1st long side support part 15 2nd long side support part 16 short side support part 20 sample fixing part 21 fixing part main body 22, 33 long side Pressing portion 23 Short side pressing portion 24 Long side ball spline 25 Long side ball spline spring 26, 29 Ball spline shaft 27 Short side ball spline 28 Short side ball spline spring 30 Bearing mounting portion 31 Bearing 32 Compression spring 40 Sample Fixed part pressing member 50 X drive motor 51 X guide 60 Y drive motor 61 Y guide 62 Ball screw 100 Sample holding device

Claims (4)

A mounting portion for mounting a rectangular sample, an opening for irradiating the sample with illumination light, a long side support portion for supporting a long side on one side of the sample, and a short side on one side of the sample. A sample holding portion having a short side supporting portion for supporting the side,
A driving unit that moves the sample holding unit between the mounting position and the observation position of the sample,
A long-side pressing portion that is disposed to face the long-side support portion and presses a long side of the sample that is supported by the long-side support portion; and a short-side pressing portion that is disposed to face the short-side support portion; A short-side pressing portion that presses the opposite side of the short side of the sample supported by the side supporting portion, and a fixing portion main body that holds the long-side pressing portion and the short-side pressing portion; And a sample fixing portion that is movable in a horizontal direction on the sample holding portion,
When the sample holding unit is moved to the mounting position of the sample by the driving unit, the sample fixing unit is horizontally moved in order to keep the long side pressing unit and the short side pressing unit away from the mounting surface of the sample. A sample fixing portion pressing member that moves in the direction,
With
When the sample holding unit is moved to the observation position of the sample by the drive unit, the long side pressing unit presses the opposite side of the long side supported by the long side support unit to position the sample, A specimen holding device that moves toward the end of the specimen.   2. The sample holding device according to claim 1, wherein the long-side pressing portion and the short-side pressing portion have a tapered surface in which a mounting surface side is cut off at a leading end contacting the sample.   The sample holding device according to claim 1, wherein the long side support section includes a first long side support section and a second long side support section.   A microscope device using the sample holding device according to claim 1.